Research shows that about a third of Georgia’s population, or about 3.3 million people, lives in an area with a primary care shortage. Low-income citizens are disproportionately affected by these shortages, with some areas having 3,500 people for every provider. Nurse practitioners are poised to step in and fill this gap, ensuring people in the state get the care they need.
Georgia also offers many opportunities for nurses to network and get involved with professional organizations, like the Atlanta Black Nurses Association, a local chapter of the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association, and a Georgia affiliate of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.
Most of the large hospital systems are located in Atlanta, which is home to Emory University Hospital, Piedmont Atlanta Hospital, Northside Hospital, and more. The Northeast Georgia Health System is close by. Marietta has Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center, and Savannah has Memorial Health University Medical Center.
If you’re considering going to school in Georgia and even staying after graduation, you’ll appreciate the exciting things there are to do in the Peach State. You can take a river cruise in Savannah, visit the World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta, or see the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island. If you prefer outdoor adventures, ride on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway or tour the Okefenokee Swamp Park in south Georgia. There are plenty of good reasons to pursue a nurse practitioner education in Georgia and to stay and work there.
Here are some of the top universities and colleges in the state where you can pursue various nurse practitioner degrees, and we have created dedicated pages for Georgia FNP programs, AGNP programs, and PNP programs.
Program Overview:
Albany State University, founded in 1903, is a nationally top-ranked HBCU. It offers nursing programs through the Darton College of Health Professions and is committed to fostering growth and enhancing services to improve the lives of people in southwest Georgia and across the state. ASU uses a variety of hands-on didactic learning activities enhanced with the latest technology to stay at the forefront of this innovative field and prepare the nursing leaders of tomorrow. The College offers a range of nursing programs, including associate, bachelor’s, bridge, and master’s degrees, including the following two NP degrees.
Program Overview:
With locations throughout Augusta and satellites in Savannah, Albany, Athens, and Rome, Augusta University makes an impact statewide. One of the highlights of attending the College of Nursing at Augusta is access to the Interdisciplinary Simulation Center. On the Augusta Campus, students have access to high-tech simulation rooms, skills labs, and mannikins, and the Athens campus offers a satellite center with skills and assessment labs and simulation rooms. The school boasts a 100% Board Pass Rate for the last five years in select APRN certifications and offers the following NP degrees:
Program Overview:
Gainesville’s Brenau University is a forward-thinking institution that began educating women in 1878 when few other schools did. Its Ivester College of Health Sciences offers small class sizes and the ability to work one-on-one with professors who are leaders in their fields. The nursing programs at Brenau University include hands-on learning early in each program, and many of the faculty are still practicing professionals staying up-to-date on the latest practices and innovations. Brenau is close to Northeast Georgia Health System’s hospitals and clinics, and the programs strive to meet the community’s changing needs. The Ivester College of Health Sciences offers two NP programs.
Program Overview:
Clayton State is located in Morrow, Georgia, about 15 miles south of Atlanta. It offers small class sizes, personalized attention, and a beautiful campus with 214 acres of natural beauty. CSU’s College of Health is ranked sixth in the 2024 Georgia RN-BSN Rankings and was voted one of the 15 best nursing schools in the Atlanta Metro Area in 2022. Students in this program will work with award-winning educators, some of whom are state Nursing Hall of Fame inductees. Clayton has two NP programs for interested students.
Program Overview:
Emory University in Atlanta is associated with one of the biggest healthcare systems in the state and is generally rated in the top 25 of all U.S. universities. The Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing receives its own accolades, rated number one for MSN programs and sixth for DNP programs by U.S. News & World Report. Emory’s nursing school boasts a highly diverse student body, with students attending from all over the United States and representing 26 countries. Students have access to a range of high-tech teaching tools, including the world’s first AI patient simulator capable of conversational speech, and the school receives an exceptional amount of research funding, putting it at the forefront of nursing technology. The Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing offers a wide range of NP programs, including:
Program Overview:
This public liberal arts university has a 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio and has won many awards and recognition. Founded as a women’s education center in 1889, it now offers dozens of programs. The School of Nursing at the College of Health Sciences boasts extraordinarily high certification pass rates for FNP students, with 100% of graduates passing in 2018 and 2019, the latest data available. Students who attend GCSU have access to a hands-on simulation center where they can practice their skills in patient assessment, labor and delivery, ECGs, CPR, and more. The school also offers a skills acquisition lab where students can practice inserting IVs, learn how to manage a chest tube, and place g-tubes and Foley catheters. GCSU offers many nursing programs, including the following for those interested in pursuing an NP degree.
Program Overview:
Georgia Southern University has three campuses in Statesboro, Savannah, and Hinesville. Established in 1906, it was named among the top 10 Affordable Online Colleges for Out of State Students. At the Waters College of Health Professions, students get a blend of clinical, classroom, and hands-on experiences. The school boasts an impressive 99% pass rate for advanced practice certification exams, and students can enroll in courses that allow them to study abroad while pursuing their nursing degrees. NP programs at the university’s Waters College of Health Professions include:
Program Overview:
Located in Americus, Georgia Southwestern State University was established in 1906 and prides itself on blending tradition and modernity. It boasts small class sizes and a campus of 250 scenic acres of prestige and culture. GSW’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences combines simulation technology, clinical experience, and classroom instruction to enhance learning. Graduates of the school’s FNP program currently have a 100% pass rate for the certification exam. GSW currently offers the following NP program:
Program Overview:
Located in the heart of Atlanta, Georgia State University is one of the top ten schools for ethnic diversity and ranked number two in the U.S. for innovation. Founded in 1968, the Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing at GSU offers students hands-on learning opportunities through clinical experiences, many of which are at locations serving Atlantas underserved communities. The college boasts a 97.5% average passing rate for advanced practice nurse exams and offers many NP degrees, including:
Program Overview:
Kennesaw State University has two suburban campuses northwest of Atlanta: one in Kennesaw and one in Marietta. The Wellstar School of Nursing started 45 years ago as a small nursing school that offered an associate’s degree and has expanded to a university-based program. Classes are held on the University’s Kennesaw campus, and students in the FNP program work with a variety of regional healthcare agencies. Kennesaw is ranked as the third-largest university in Georgia and offers one NP program:
Program Overview:
Rated a top-value school, Mercer University offers an exceptional education at an affordable price. It has multiple campuses across the state in Macon, Atlanta, Savannah, and Columbus. The University’s College of Nursing dates back to 1902 when it opened as the Baptist Tabernacle Infirmary Training School for Nurses and offered only a two-year diploma program. Today, it boasts an 86% pass rate for the FNP certification exam. Mercer offers the following NP pathways:
Program Overview:
The University of North Georgia has five campuses in one of the fastest-growing parts of the state. The College of Health Sciences & Professions boasts an impressive student to faculty ratio of 3:1 for graduate students. The nursing program is held on the Dahlonega campus. The FNP program was rated a Best Value Nursing Program for 2019 to 2020, and FNP graduates had a 100% pass rate for the licensure and certification exam in 2020 to 2021. UNG is also a State Leadership Institution and the Military College of Georgia. It features the following NP degrees:
Program Overview:
Valdosta State University is located in the southern part of the state, close to the Florida State Line. The College of Nursing and Health Sciences allows students to connect with the community during hands-on clinicals and combines traditional, rigorous coursework with access to high-tech facilities to enhance learning. METI Simulation Labs give students a valuable opportunity to develop critical thinking skills and enhance clinical judgment through simulated patient encounters, preparing them for clinical experiences and their future careers. Valdosta offers several NP degree programs, including:
- BSN to FNP (MSN)
- BSN to FNP (DNP)
- MSN to FNP Post-Master’s Certificate
NP Programs in Other States
Florida
South Carolina
Tennessee
Mississippi
North Carolina
Louisiana